Barbara Stockebrand, Adult Development and Aging, Southwind Extension District, Aging With Attitude Regional Expo, Chairperson.
Inspiration and education are the themes of an event aimed at older adults this Friday.
The Aging With Attitude Expo is a one-day event for aging adults and their family members, according to Barbara Stockebrand, chairperson of the event.
There is a resource fair, breakout sessions, and a keynote speaker with lunch for those who attend.
K-State Research and Extension along with area community partners are bringing the Aging With Attitude Regional Expo to the venue of Community Christian Church in Fort Scott, on April 26 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The church is located at 1919 S. Horton, across from Fort Scott Community College.
Registration fee is $25.
Current registrations of 134 are nearing the capacity set for the expo, Stockebrand said.
Registration information can be found on the Facebook page below.
Community partners for the event include the Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, Medicalodges Inc., Southeast Kansas Library System, Angels Care Home Health, Integrity Home Care + Hospice, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas and Fort Scott Convention and Visitors’ Bureau.
The goal of the expo is to empower older adults to make more confident and proactive decisions that influence how they age by sharing information and education throughout the day.
Educational topics promote positive attitudes about aging and educate participants on issues supporting physical, mental, and financial health.
Key note presenter, Patty LaRoche will speak on “What Matters Most – Learning Contentment in Life.”
Patty LaRoche
Participants will also have the opportunity to choose from a variety of breakout session topics that address issues facing older adults.
A grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas has provided support for this expo.
Riverfront Park, North National Avenue past the orange bridge over the Marmaton River.
The east side of the Belltown Walking Trail in Riverfront Park is a shady place to enjoy a walk, but at times it is too dark.
“We’ve had some ladies that said at dusk, it gets pretty dark,” Jerry Witt, president of the Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority Board, said. “So we purchased 14 poles and downlights and bases.”
The tall deciduous trees give shade to walkers on the Belltown Trail in Riverfront Park.
“The lighting will be installed in the next few weeks on the east side of the walking trail, where it is darker, it’s close to the lookout,” Witt said. “We would like for (the lighting) to go over to the Mercy Hospice Memorial part. We will add more lights later, this is what we can afford now.”
The lights will be LED downlights, he said, “that will shine on the trail.”
An electrician will install them, with the City of Fort Scott providing the concrete bases for the lights.
There was grant money left following the building of the pavilion and the overlook boardwalk which were completed last year, Witt said. This leftover grant money will fund the lighting segment.
2018 Was a Busy Year For Improvements in Riverfront Park
Two projects in the park were completed last year.
The pavilion was built near the park entrance and has electricity, with a parking lot nearby.
Good Ol’ Days, the annual Fort Scott town-wide event, begins on Thursday, May 30 and runs through Saturday, June 1, this year.
There have been a few changes in venue for some of the events.
Rhonda Dunn, a member of the Good Ol’ Days Steering Committee, answered the following questions posed to her from fortscott.biz.
Why change of venue for the dances, from outside to inside?
“The committee wanted to move away from the street dance format because they haven’t been well attended in recent years. We did a survey after last year’s festival and people wanted it to stay downtown so we were looking for a solution. The cost of a concert quality stage was very expensive so we opted to utilize Memorial Hall so we can have great concerts without the worry of rain.”
Why the change of venue for the carnival?
“The carnival is a very popular part of the Good Old Days but has been limited by the space we can provide. By moving them to the parking lot at 3rd and Main, we can give them more space which we hope results in more rides and bigger rides.”
Anything else new?
“We are collaborating with Velocity’s Customer Appreciation event and the trolley will shuttle people between the two events making it one great festival. They are planning a BIG car show and motorcycle show and are even giving away a Harley Davidson motorcycle!
The Friday and Saturday night concerts are a big change for the festival and we hope it becomes a fixture of the festival for years to come. Friday night’s concert is the 90’s country band, Restless Heart. Saturday night will be a Beach Party in Memorial Hall with the #1 Beach Boys Tribute Band in the US, Still Surfin.”
The annual baby contest is always well attended.
Who is on the committee?
“The (Good Ol’ Days) Steering Committee is Shawn Obrien, Charlotte Thompson, Janet Braun, Leah Bowman, Carl Brenner, Melissa Wise, Allyson Turvey. Many other people work with the committee to make all these events happen. We are looking for volunteers to help not only with this year’s festival but work throughout the year to plan for the next year too. Volunteers can contact me by text or call at 620-224-1186.
Cherry Jammers from Cherry Grove Baptist Church, rural Fort Scott, performed during a Friday Night Concert in 2018 at First United Methodist Church.
The Friday Night Concert in the Park series will kick off Friday, April 26 with piano students performing from the Tucker Music Studio.
Due to unpredictable spring weather, the concert will take place at 7:00 p.m. at Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church, 1818 S. Main Street. The concerts normally take place at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main Streets.
“I am really pleased to present this fine group of young ladies and gentlemen and their teacher, Carolyn Tucker, to the good people of Bourbon County and the surrounding area,” Ralph Carlson, event coordinator said.
The students scheduled to perform are Benjamin, Josiah, and Noelle Banwart, Abbigail Collins, Abigail DeLoera, Hannah Peck, Austin Sinn, and Garren and Gregg Tucker.
In addition, former students Kelcie Bailey and Breisen Keller will perform as guest pianists.
Carlson said the students range from elementary to high school in USD 234, USD 235, Fort Scott Christian Heights, and those that are homeschooled.
The concert will consist of a variety of music including classical, pop, gospel, patriotic, and folk. The evening will conclude with an instrumental wrap-up featuring Carolyn Tucker on piano and Ralph Carlson on guitar.
The concerts, which are free and open to the public, are sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Poppa looked out at the vultures circling near the back pasture. I walked out onto the back porch and handed him a cup of coffee. He took the cup with his right hand and put his left on my shoulder. I was seven-years-old. “Something’s dead out there,” he said. As he took a sip from his cup, I looked up at him and asked, “Is it Miss Bossy?” Miss Bossy was the name I had given to Poppa’s gentle, tan-colored Guernsey cow. We had raised her from a calf. For the past three or four days, she hadn’t come up to the feed lot. “Most likely,” he said.
We lived on a small forty-acre farm. I sat on the wheel cover as Poppa drove his old International Harvester tractor. It didn’t take us very long to reach the back pasture. Miss Bossy had been dead long enough to bloat. Flies buzzed around the carcass.
I asked, “What happened to her?”
“All living things die,” he answered. “We have to bury her.”
“Why? Why don’t you let the buzzards have her?”
“Because as she decays the soil and the ground water will be contaminated. We don’t know what killed her. She might have a disease that could spread to the other animals. Some diseases can even spread to people.”
I climbed off and watched as Poppa started digging. He had a small back-hoe attachment on the back, and a bucket on the front of the tractor. He made quick work of the hole and climbed down. He attached one end of a chain to Miss Bossy’s back hooves and the other end to the back of the tractor. He climbed back on, pulled the remains into the hole, climbed off, and unhooked the chain. Poppa got back on the tractor and used the front bucket to push the pile of dirt into the hole.
Tired of standing, I sat in the grass and intently observed him as he went about the job. When he finished he said, “Son, let’s go.” I started to crawl back up, but before I could, he reached down and pulled me up. He sat me in his lap. I steered the tractor as he shifted gears and ran the pedals.
When we got back to the house, I asked, “Poppa, why do things die?” He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “Dying is part of living. The trick is to learn to let the dead stay buried and go on with your life.”
His words, which I didn’t really understand at the time, have stuck with me over the years. I have come to realize the wisdom of an old Oklahoma farmer is echoed in the Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul clearly stated the Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He died to take away our sins, He rose to defeat death, but why does the Bible emphasize His burial?
In first century Israel, when a Jewish person died, they were embalmed, wrapped in linen, and buried in a tomb. That is what Jesus did with our sins. Paul also wrote in Galatians 2, “I am crucified with Christ…” Not only have we been crucified with Christ, we have also been buried with Christ. Your past isn’t just dead, it’s buried.
The point is: If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, your old life is buried. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, you can be raised to live a new life of victory.
Are you preyed upon by buzzards of guilt? Is the devil buzzing around the bloated carcass of your old life? Does the stench of past sins remind you of the person you once were? Is the disease of your past killing your present?
You don’t have to live defeated. If you are a Christian, your past is dead and buried. Let the dead stay buried and go on with your life.
Pastor James Collins serves at Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church. He can be reached at (620) 223-2986, or through the website www.fortscottfsbc.com.
Jess Ervin is the new CEO of the Southeast Kansas Community Action Program. Submitted photo.
Jess Ervin, Uniontown, transitioned to the role of Chief Executive Officer at Southeast Kansas Community Action Program on January 1, 2019.
“I replaced Steve Lohr, who was with SEK-CAP for nearly 40 years,” Ervin said. “He had served as CEO since 1999.”
Ervin’s office is located in Girard, at the SEK-CAP Central Office facility on North Sinnet Street.
“This location houses the Agency’s administrative offices, as well as office space for our Early Childhood Services staff,” Ervin said. “Also located here is an annex facility, in which our housing services and transportation departments are located.”
Ervin is a Bourbon County resident.
“I graduated from Uniontown High School in 2002, Fort Scott Community College in 2004 and Pittsburg State University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration,” he said.
“From 2006 to 2014, I worked at Mercy Health Center Fort Scott, first as a staff accountant, then as a senior accountant,” he said. “Following that time I transitioned into the role of a senior financial analyst for Mercy of Southwest Missouri and Kansas, where I worked until January of 2017. In January of 2017, I was hired as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for SEK-CAP. I served in that capacity until the end of 2018.”
What does the future look like with Ervin as CEO?
“We will continue to serve the children, families and communities in the twelve counties in southeast Kansas,” Ervin said. “Our current services include Community Engagement, Early Childhood Services, Housing and Transportation.”
“We are currently engaged in completing a Community Needs Assessment for our service area that will combine both qualitative and quantitative data factors to determine areas of need, and to identify opportunities for change.”
SEK-CAP is active in Bourbon County.
“Right now in Bourbon County, we are active through Community Engagement, Housing Services and Early Childhood Services. Community Engagement encompasses community planning, involvement and needs assessment,” he said.
“Our housing services in Bourbon County include the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) which can be utilized for homelessness assistance. Our wait list for TBRA is currently open and is set to close April 30th for the current grant cycle.”
“Early Childhood services include both a center-based (Head Start, ages 3-5) model that is housed in a classroom of the Fort Scott Preschool building, and Home-Based Services (Early Head Start and Head Start, prenatal through age 5), which are services delivered by staff who conduct weekly visits to children in their home, and work directly with the parents to promote healthy development. SEK-CAP’s Early Childhood programs promote school readiness for children prenatally to age five for low-income families by supporting the development of the whole child. Each Early Childhood program supports families in fulfilling their roles as parents and movement towards self-sufficiency by offering comprehensive services such as education, nutrition, medical, dental, mental health, employment services, leadership development and community engagement.”
“Each program our agency offers is vitally important to the success of the families and communities we serve, and we can proudly say that the skill and passion that our over 200 staff has for helping people is a cornerstone to all programs.”
Ervin encourages people to visit the agency website at www.sek-cap.com to learn more, and also on facebook and twitter – Southeast Kansas Community Action Program/@SEKCAPINC.
The mission of SEK CAP addresses the causes and effects of poverty by uniting staff, individuals, families and community partners to provide quality comprehensive services through compassionate, respectful relationships.
The State of Kansas Joins The Skillful State Network
Topeka, Kan. – Kansas has joined The Skillful State Network, a Markle Foundation initiative.
Governor Laura Kelly, along with the governors of California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Pennsylvania have joined the founding states in the Network’s efforts to create a labor market in which skills learned anywhere are valued and people can rapidly and affordably access the information and training needed for good jobs in the digital economy. Entering its second year, the Skillful State Network fosters collaboration among innovative governors from states large and small, coast to coast and across the political spectrum. The governors in the Skillful State Network have made workforce development a state priority and are committed to acting on proven practices that enable their residents and employers to thrive.
“This is important moment of change for the Kansas economy,” Governor Kelly said. “We must work together to ensure workers have the skills they need to compete in a modern, digital economy. I look forward to collaborating with the Skillful State Network and partner states to transform our labor market and grow our economy.”
“The Skillful State Network acts on the urgent need for leadership to bring the talent of Americans into the rapidly changing digital economy. Governors are joining together to break down the barriers keeping too many people from finding good careers,” said Zoë Baird, CEO and President of the Markle Foundation. “With bipartisan gubernatorial leadership from 26 states across the country, we are giving people greater power in the labor market to pursue rewarding careers.”
The Skillful State Network launched in 2018 to drive transition to labor markets in which skills are valued as well as degrees, and people can access the tools and build the skills necessary to thrive in today’s digital economy. Members share innovative ideas and proven practices each can adopt to achieve workforce goals and growth, for example, effectively aligning education with industry; providing robust data on skills needed to jobseekers; and training employers on skills-based practices to find talent from other sectors or with informal training. The Network is enabling a systems-level change in the labor market.
Skillful State Network Members
Arkansas
Gov. Hutchinson
California
Gov. Newsom
Colorado
Gov. Polis
Connecticut
Gov. Lamont
Delaware
Gov. Carney
Illinois
Gov. Pritzker
Indiana
Gov. Holcomb
Kansas
Gov. Kelly
Kentucky
Gov. Bevins
Massachusetts
Gov. Baker
Michigan
Gov. Whitmer
Minnesota
Gov. Walz
Missouri
Gov. Parson
Montana
Gov. Bullock
New Jersey
Gov. Murphy
North Carolina
Gov. Cooper
North Dakota
Gov. Burgum
Ohio
Gov. DeWine
Pennsylvania
Gov. Wolf
Rhode Island
Gov. Raimondo
Tennessee
Gov. Lee
Utah
Gov. Herbert
Vermont
Gov. Scott
Virginia
Gov. Northam
Washington
Gov. Inslee
Wisconsin
Gov. Evers
For more information about member state involvement, quotes from the governors and examples of workforce initiatives, please visit here.
The Network is grounded in Skillful’s work in Colorado and Indiana, where Skillful works directly to align the efforts of the state, employers, educators, and local workforce boards behind a mutually reinforcing strategy. Drawing on its on-the-ground operations, Skillful produced the Skillful State Playbook, a step-by-step guide to help states build a skills-based labor market, which includes tools and resources for implementation. One signature initiative currently operating in Colorado and Indiana, the Skillful Coaching Corps (SCC), is an upskilling program for career coaches. Applying tools and training from the Corps, coaches are better equipped to help job seekers and incumbent workers learn what skills are in demand and how to demonstrate or obtain those skills. The Skillful State Network continues to draw key learnings and practices from Skillful Colorado and Skillful Indiana, and supports transformation at a scale and pace not possible through individual state actions alone.
“We are thrilled to welcome the eight new member states to the Skillful State Network, as well as the newly elected governors from founding member states Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The importance of this issue and the value of the Network transcends changes in administration and even party,” said Beth Cobert, CEO of Skillful. “Workforce development is a nonpartisan issue as every state confronts helping workers transition to digital economy jobs. These new voices will strengthen this already forward-thinking group in this our second year.”
Network members will continue to share assets, foster partnerships, and hone methods of engagement within their labor markets. The free and public availability of the Skillful State Playbook supports the open sharing of key learnings and practices. Skillful State Network members may draw from and contribute tools to the Playbook.
All interested states are invited to join the Network by contacting Skillful CEO Beth Cobert at [email protected], (212) 713-7633.
Skillful, a non-profit initiative of the Markle Foundation, is dedicated to enabling all Americans – particularly those without a four-year college degree – to secure good jobs in a changing economy. Skillful, in partnership with Microsoft, is developing skills-based training and employment practices in collaboration with state governments, local employers, educators and workforce development organizations. With its partners, Skillful is working to create a labor market in which skills are valued, and people can more easily access the information and education they need to keep pace with technology’s impact on work. Skillful currently operates in two states, Skillful Colorado and Skillful Indiana, bringing investment, training, tools and innovative methods to augment local workforce development efforts. It formed and facilitates the Skillful State Network, a collaboration among 26 state governors to accelerate the development and deployment of effective skills-based practices to transform their labor markets. Skillful is grateful for support provided by Lumina Foundation and Walmart, and its partnerships with the states of Colorado and Indiana, Purdue University and Purdue Extensions and many great local organizations committed to strengthening their local workforce and creating better opportunities for all.
About The Markle Foundation
The Markle Foundation works to realize the potential of technology to achieve breakthroughs in addressing some of the nation’s most pressing issues. Markle challenges itself and diverse partners to deploy their varied expertise to identify solutions and achieve systemic change. Today as advanced technology and automation change the very nature of work, Markle’s priority is advancing solutions toward a skills-based labor market that will enable Americans to transition to the opportunities of the digital economy. Markle’s workforce initiatives include Skillful and the Rework America Task Force. They follow Markle’s success in creating policy and technology architecture that has enabled improvements in healthcare, national security and access to the Internet. For more information, visit markle.org, follow @MarkleFdn and @ReworkAmerica on Twitter, and read our book, America’s Moment.
Since August 2018, Fort Scottians can take a bus to Wichita and Joplin and points in between on Beeline Express, seven days a week.
“This is a community service for rural Kansans,” said Jim Lynch, the manager of Beeline Express. “It’s subsidized by the Kansas Department of Transportation.”
The pickup point is Pump N Pete’s, 1920 S. Main on 69 Hwy.
Riders can purchase a one-way ticket for $40 for the destination of Wichita, with stops at Iola, Eureka, and El Dorado, Lynch said.
The 48 passenger bus has a restroom and electric chargers for phones, Lynch said.
A photo of the inside of the Beeline Express bus at Pump N Pete’s on April 11.
“You can put the seats back and take a nap,” he said. “We do have wheelchair accessibility.”
“A lot of people use it for Fort Scott to Joplin,” Lynch said. The cost of a ticket from Fort Scott to Joplin is $19, with a stop in Pittsburg.
The bus arrives at 8:55 a.m. at Pump N Petes on 69 Hwy. and arrives at noon in Wichita. It leaves Wichita at 2:45 p.m. on its way back to Joplin.
Pump N Pete’s, 1920 S. Main is the Fort Scott stopping place for Beeline Express.
It arrives at 5:55 p.m. in Fort Scott to pick up riders and arrives in Joplin at 7:15 p.m.
These trip departure times are posted in Pump N Petes, 1920 S. Main, Fort Scott, but have since been modified by five minutes. Pick up time in Fort Scott is 8:55 a.m.These trip times and prices are posted at Pump N Pete’s but have since been modified. The departure time to Joplin is now 5:55 p.m. The cost from Wichita to Fort Scott is reduced to $40 and Fort Scott to Joplin is reduced to $19.
“A person can just show up, pay $40 and get on the bus to Wichita,” Lynch said. To pre-arrange phone 1-855-201-6700. The Beeline office number is 316-249-6774 with office hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
REMINDER: PLEASE ONLY PUT TREE BRANCHES, BRUSH, LEAVES, GRASS AND YARD WASTE AT THE BURN PILE. ALL OTHER ITEMS ARE FORBIDDEN. WHEN BURNING THE PILE ON APRIL 4, SOMETHING EXPLODED AND SENT GLASS FRAGMENTS FLYING. WE ARE ALL VERY LUCKY THAT OUR MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WERE NOT INJURED.
FIRST MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 2019 REVIVAL – SUNDAY, APRIL 14, THROUGH WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 7PM, PASTOR MURRAY SATTERFIELD
CITATIONS WILL BE ISSUED IN APRIL FOR FAILURE TO REGISTER YOUR CAT/DOG. IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER UNTIL AFTER A CITATION IS RECEIVED YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY COURT COST, REGISTRATION FEE FOR EACH ANIMAL, AND LATE FEE FOR EACH ANIMAL.
THE 2019 SPRING CITYWIDE CLEANUP HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR MAY 3, 4, & 5. THERE WILL BE 3 DUMPSTERS ON THE RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY AT FIRST AND CLAY STREETS. CLEAN OUT THE GARAGE, ATTIC, AND CLOSETS!
THE COUNCIL ADOPTED A NEW ORDINANCE REGARDING THE SELL OF CEREAL MALT BEVERAGES AND BEER NOT TO EXCEED 6% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME. IT WILL BE PLACED ON THE FEATURES PAGE AFTER IT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE FORT SCOTT TRIBUNE.
2019 is an election year for local governments and school boards. There are three city council positions and four school board positions for election this year. If interested in running for any of these positions contact City Hall or USD 235 Board Clerk. Filing deadline is noon June 3, 2019.
Beginning July 1, 2019, we will be able to accept debit/credit cards for payments of utilities, court fines/fees, and miscellaneous fees, licenses and permits. Payments may be made online at govpaynow.com (pay location code a001te for utilities, code a001ud for court fines/fees, and code a001td for misc permits/license fees), by phone, or in person at City Hall. A link on this page is coming soon. Call or stop by City Hall for more information.
We have received complaints of coyotes running in town. We have contacted Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to find out how to get rid of them. They suggested that they are probably young coyotes and are looking for food. Please do not feed your pets outside and put your garbage in a covered container. If they can’t find food they will go elsewhere.
There has been some inquiry about “pit bull” dogs in town. The City still has an ordinance banning “pit bull” breeds and mixes. We would also like to remind citizens that each household is only allowed three dogs and three cats six months of age or older.
The Council would like to ask owners of golf carts to make sure there is an adult in the golf cart when being driven by minors under the age of 16. Thank you for your cooperation.
We would like to remind owners of go-karts to not drive them on city streets as they can’t be seen by drivers of other vehicles.
Joyce Davenport, right, President of Progressive Mothers Club of Fort Scott, presenting $200 to Janet Tucker for Bags of Love ministry on April 4. Submitted photo.
The local Fort Scott Progressive Mothers’ Club has been very active through the years, according to Shirley Palmer a member.
The local group recently presented Janet Tucker with a check for $200 to help with the project which helps children.
“At their recent meeting in April, Janet Tucker, Bourbon County chapter President spoke to the group and talked about It’s My Very Own BAGS OF LOVE project,” Palmer said. “It is championing the immediate needs of the displaced child.”
“This is a local mission project for Bourbon County,” Tucker noted. “Where a group of volunteer women meets each week at the Seventh-Day Adventist church to sew comforters and duffle bags.”
Locally, the group program is called It’s My Very Own, Bags of Love.
“When a child is removed from their home for reasons out of their control, a bag is filled with gender and age-appropriate items,” which is then given to the child, Tucker said.
When a child is removed from their home by the local protective service, often they can take nothing with them but the clothes on their back.
It’s My Very Own, is dedicated to providing a bag with personal care age and gender appropriate items for children from birth to 17 years old.
“These consist of basic body care items, stuffed animals, new toys, clothes, socks, p.j.’s, books, journals, diapers, baby care items, and then packed with lots of love and prayers,” Tucker said.
Items currently needed: large/small stuffed animals (can be gently used), new toys, puzzles, coloring books/crayons, journals, pens, craft kits, shampoo/body wash, toothpaste/toothbrush, deodorant, combs/brushes, hair bows, and seasonal items, according to information provided.
The supply list for duffle bags/comforters is colorful cotton/poly fabric, thread, twin flat sheets, high loft batting, thick cording, 1-inch buttons.
Needed items for children “aging out” of foster care: laundry detergent and basket, Clorox wipes, paper towels, all-purpose cleaners, dish soap/sponge, stain remover, dryer sheets, trash bags, tampons/pads, body wash/soap, deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, towels/washcloths, small first aid kit, small lock box to keep important papers in, basic tool set, flashlight, batteries, planner for them to keep track of appointments, school supplies, blankets, basic cooking supplies, Walmart Gift Cards in increments of $25.
Also needed are prayers, monetary gifts and ink and paper for printing, stamps, blade replacements, sewing pins/needles, and volunteers.
For more information contact Tucker at 620-768-9356.
About Progressive Mother Club
The following is from a press release from Palmer:
“The local Progressive Mothers’ Club meets monthly, September-April, with the purpose of helping and promoting children and their activities.
The local group had a yearly membership of 24 people for many years and there used to be a waiting list for ladies in the community wanting to join. They met in homes for many years.
Today their membership is eighteen and they often still meet in homes of members or in a place in the community.
Through the years the local group has participated often in the Christmas Parades, Good ‘Ol Days parades, always promoting children. Their objective is to promote and to help children.
They have helped with the Mother to Mother ministry by donating items many times. They give money to each of the schools for needed items for children throughout the school years.
They often donate to families with children who have experienced house fires and who have lost everything. They adopt children of various ages at Christmas time and provide special Christmas gifts to them.
All in all, this club is a very caring and giving organization.
The Progressive Mothers’ Club was founded in March 1918 in Dayton, Ohio.
The purpose of the club was to bring together local mothers for social and educational functions that were meant to nurture and enhance their role as mothers.
The Progressive Mothers sought to provide opportunities for mothers to learn about child development, nurturing family environments, and the stresses associated with youth and families. The non-profit group prided itself on providing welfare and advocacy for all children.
The Progressive Mothers’ Club joined the Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1921, as well as later joining the National Federation of Women’s Clubs.
The official Progressive Mothers’ Club on the national level disbanded in 2003 but many Progressive Mothers’ alumni are still active and functioning in local clubs such as the Fort Scott group.
Joyce Davenport has been the local president the past two years. Shirley Palmer was installed as the new president for the Fort Scott group at their April meeting. Other officers are Donna Wilson, vice-president; Teri Campbell, Secretary, and Connie Finley treasurer.”
For more information about the club: contact Shirley Palmer at 620-223-4105.
Lynette Jackson, a second-grade teacher at Winfield Scott Elementary School, is retiring after 31 years in education.
“I taught first grade for one year in Shawnee, Oklahoma and thirty years have been with USD 234 as a K-3 teacher and instructional coach,” Jackson said.
Born and raised in Fort Scott, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Education and Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University.
Several factors influenced her to become a teacher.
“One was the relationships I had with my former teachers,” she said. “I have great memories of school because my teachers made school fun and exciting. They also made me feel very secure and important. Although I’ve enjoyed school throughout my lifetime, my elementary years are the most memorable to me. Therefore, I became an elementary teacher.
“In thinking about all the teachers I’ve had from elementary school through college, I must say that the great majority of them had some influence on me, one way or another. I’m reminded of how important it was to be assured at school that I had potential and skills, that I could use in life to be successful. It was very important and with gratitude, I will never forget what they did for me as I was growing up. All my educators impacted my desire to teach and I hope I have repaid the debt to my past teachers that invested in me.”
Jackson believes a teacher has a mission.
“Being a teacher means being a nurse, counselor, substitute mom or dad, cheerleader, and disciplinarian,” she said. “It is my hope that I have been all these roles for my students over the years. I am flattered when a child says to me, ‘I want to be a teacher just like you.’ Have I given that youngster the best example I could to pattern his or her life and career?”
Jackson has had the privilege to work with colleagues that were past students.
“There is no better honor than working with someone that you once taught,” she said. “To see these students, grow up and have a career in education, is overwhelming. It is my hope they enjoy their careers and have many years in education as much as I have.”
As with all professions, there have been challenges.
“Several challenges I have faced over the years have been balancing the different learning styles of students, technology in the classroom, budget constraints, office politics, and lack of time to collaborate or implement new resources,” she said. “I would urge the community to get behind our schools and become knowledgeable about the educational trends we use at USD234 and become involved with our local school board and legislation.”
Jackson said she is hoping to spend time with her family and “enjoy attending my son’s school events.”
Ralph Lee Anderson Jr., age 68, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Saturday, April 13, 2019, at the Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.
He was born September 13, 1950, in Ft. Scott, Kansas, the son of Ralph Lee Anderson and Dorothy Irene Goddard Anderson.
Ralph attended grade school at Redfield, Kansas and later graduated from the Uniontown High School with the Class of 1968.
Ralph first worked in farming and construction. In 1986, he began a career with Dayco which later became Carlisle and then Timken. In earlier years, he enjoyed drag racing. He also enjoyed collecting toy tractors and going to garage sales.
Survivors include a daughter, Kate Anderson, of Orlando, Florida; a sister, Deanne Bloesser and husband, Don, of Redfield, Kansas; a niece, Sarah Sisseck and husband, Barry, of Oronogo, Missouri and two nephews, Seth Bloesser and wife, Melanie, of Redfield and Silas Bloesser and wife, Serini, of Park City, Kansas; and great-nieces and great-nephews, Brady, Bolton, Kennedy, Maddie, Kendyl, Makinlee and Rheason with one more arriving in August.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Dorothy Anderson.
Pastor Ben Heffernan will conduct graveside services at 10:30 A.M. Friday, April 19th at the Mt. Orum Cemetery near Redfield, Kansas.
Family and friends will meet at the cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 P.M. Thursday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas.
Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
